Follow @james_tanner123 Covering the Coyotes really is an interesting gig. As far as I can tell, the Coyotes are the least covered team in the league, not just in terms of coverage of the team on a national level, but also in the amount of mainstream local media coverage they receive and the amount of fan written or otherwise non-mainstream media blogs.
Now, far be it for me to be critical of other writers, because I think of the people who cover the Coyotes are great and they all have way more access to the team than I do and are far more professional, talented etc. In the interactions I have had with them they all seem like excellent people and I enjoy and respect their coverage very much.
But I come from Toronto where the media often treats the team like a whipping boy and isn't satisfied even with greatness (see kessel, Phill and Hot-dog vendors). So even though my fellow Coyotes writers are all 100% awesome and above reproach, it seems - in general - that the team always gets treated like people are just happy to have it.
Not that the writers aren't critical of the teams moves in specific situations, but the overall tone I get is one of reverence. It is also possible that I'm just way too critical or that other Coyotes fans/writers see the game differently than me and would be critical if they thought criticism was warranted but don't think it is.
Whatever it is, I think it amounts to a free ride for Dave Tippett and Don Maloney which I don't think they deserve. The team has new ownership and is doing a rebuild but unfortunately does not seem to be on the cutting edge of analytics (though they did make a hire in that direction previously, it doesn't exactly seem like it) nor do their coaching methods or management personnel seem very progressive (Playfair, Loiselle, Regier etc.).
Now, maybe they're waiting out a trend and will look smart next year. But I highly, highly doubt it.
As far as I can tell, I was the only one calling the Gormley trade what it truly was: a borderline incompetent terrible trade. Even if that's a harsh reading, no one even seemed to try to criticize it at all (if so, I missed it) and someone went so far as to call it `brilliant,`though I forget who and could not find the quote again.
With apologies to Elliott, he`s a right shooting defensemen who hasn't made the NHL in three seasons since his rookie campaign, who has nowhere to really play (with Rshooting Stone, Murphy and Michalek on the roster) meanwhile the the team is all set to have Nick Grossmann on their second pair in place of Gormley.
At the very least people should be asking why Maloney bailed on a player whose inability to make an impact stemmed from an injury and trying to break into a lineup with three defensemen already under 24 as much from his own play.
Instead, I am seeing all kinds of Grossmann love. Sarah McLellan wrote a glowing profile of him today. And while I think she does the best coverage of the Coyotes, by a mile, I do not agree with her positive assessment at all.
Here's a quote:
Not only is Grossmann poised to be an anchor among the top-six, but he’ll also likely reinvigorate a penalty kill that has been on a steady decline.
My opinion: The only thing Grossmann is anchoring is the rights to Auston Matthews.
Hey, I hope Grossmann does well and that I'm proven wrong. But I don't think that's going to happen. I think the NHL pretty clearly demands puck moving defensemen to be successful these days, and that if Grossmann does have a place in today's league, it's as the bottom guy on the roster.
If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong: obviously I want the team to be successful. But I don't think a team can dress Grossmann as a main cog and make the Playoffs. I think the Coyotes were a better team with Gormley on the second pairing then they will be with Grossmann, and if the team's goal really is redemption from last year and not to tank the season, then they need to add two left-handed defensemen better than Grossmann and Dahlbeck, and do it soon.
--------
Camp Update
Shane Doan apparently suffered a minor injury, but the team says it's of no concern.
The Coyotes cut seven players, no one you've ever likely heard of, except recent first rounder Nick Merkley who was injured during the Roookie Camp and Joey Crabb, who was on a PTO but didn't seem likely to make it.
Tonight is the first pre-season game, it's against the Kings.
Thanks for reading.